Court to rule on protection order against David Mabuza

Deputy President David Mabuza will know on Monday whether a protection order sought against him by a businessman in Mpumalanga will be enforced.

Deputy President David Mabuza.Image: REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Eco-tourism businessman Fred Daniels obtained an interim protection order against Mabuza in February. He has been involved in a decades-long dispute with the former Mpumalanga premier.

The interim order‚ which was issued by the Carolina Magistrate’s Court‚ barred Mabuza from using his position to:

• Directly or indirectly incite or instruct government departments‚ state institutions‚ parastatals‚ government officials or land claimants from stopping or sabotaging Daniel’s business by‚ among other things‚ withholding permits.

• Engage in activities that may be perceived to influence the decision-making body of any institution‚ parastatal or government body that negatively influences their administrative duties.

• Allow any civil servant to falsify minutes and reports or instruct the police to destroy official government documents.

• Interfere with the private life of Daniel‚ his family and staff.

• Insult‚ intimidate or abuse Daniel.

Daniel believes Mabuza is behind a smear and sabotage campaign against him because of a multi-billion rand land claims scam‚ which he blew the whistle on in May 2004.

Daniel claims the scam had the blessing of Mabuza when he was Mpumalanga’s MEC for Land and Agriculture. It allegedly involved land owners being forced to sell at below-market value‚ before the land was sold back to community trusts at inflated prices.

Daniel has a R2.5bn law suit in the North Gauteng High Court against Mabuza and officials in several Mpumalanga government departments‚ including the provincial tourism and parks agency.

The lawsuit involves the loss of business because the province refused to grant him permits to operate a luxury nature reserve‚ marketed as the gateway to one of South Africa’s most pristine biodiversity areas‚ located between Barberton and Bapsfontein.